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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / February 2007Wood ash for cat litter?
Sometimes, if her litter tray is not quite as pristine as she would like (this is the tray she only pees in), KFC will use the brass tray that I put under my woodburner that catches the ash that escapes when I load it up. She seems to use ash as happily as litter. So..does anyone know of any reason why I could not use wood ash in her litterbox? I am happy to buy litter for her, I don't begrudge her anything she needs, but if she likes to use wood ash, and I have a regular supply of it, why not use it? What do you all think? Number 2 is a different matter. This has to be done in the bathroom in the litterbox that has wood pellets in it. Until I run out of wood pellet litter, I won't be getting any more - it is incredibly messy. She digs it all over the bathroom, if she wees in it it turns to sawdust and gets trodden all over the house into the carpets. I have enough to do working 5/7 without spending weekends trying to vacuum sawdust up from all over the house. It might work for people who have wooden floors, I seem to remember that Gordon recommended wood pellet litter . Thanks, Gordon!! Are you good with a vacuum cleaner? Come over here! Tweed > Sometimes, if her litter tray is not quite as pristine as she would like > (this is the tray she only pees in), KFC will use the brass tray that I put [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Tweed I remember when I was a child my mother tried ashes. In those days, the cats could go outside in our large backyard. Can you buy Arm & Hammer Scoop where you are. IMHO it is the best yet. MLB >> Sometimes, if her litter tray is not quite as pristine as she would like >> (this is the tray she only pees in), KFC will use the brass tray that I [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > I remember when I was a child my mother tried ashes. In those days, the > cats could go outside in our large backyard. Can you buy Arm & Hammer No. Since KFC is already starting to use ashes, my question is since I have a source of ashes from my woodburner, is this okay to use for her litterbox? Tweed > I have enough to do working 5/7 without spending weekends trying to vacuum > sawdust up from all over the house. Can you get hold of 'Yesterday's News' brand cat litter anywhere nearby? It is made from pellets of recycled paper and it is far less prone to becoming dust like the wood pellets. Mine all use it happily. Deb.  Signaturehttp://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield >> I have enough to do working 5/7 without spending weekends trying to >> vacuum [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > It is made from pellets of recycled paper and it is far less prone to > becoming dust like the wood pellets. Mine all use it happily. But what do you think about using wood ash? Tweed On Feb 22, 2:42?pm, "Christina Websell" <spamf...@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote: > >> I have enough to do working 5/7 without spending weekends trying to > >> vacuum [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Tweed I don't know, Tweed, but that's an interesting question. The first thing I wondered about is whether you'd have a problem with her tracking ash around the house or if licking it off her paws would be bad for her. Sherry > On Feb 22, 2:42?pm, "Christina Websell" > <spamf...@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > tracking ash around the house or if licking it off her paws would be > bad for her. She tracks the very expensive white litter - the do-it-all-stuff, no smell etc around downstairs anyway in little crumbs. It's everywhere. On the table, on every chair and couch. The wood litter is tracked everywhere upstairs as sawdust. Wood ash would be easier. If she licked her paws, I doubt it would harm her. It is only potash. If she could be bothered to lick her paws that is.. Tweed >Sometimes, if her litter tray is not quite as pristine as she would like >(this is the tray she only pees in), KFC will use the brass tray that I put >under my woodburner that catches the ash that escapes when I load it up. >She seems to use ash as happily as litter. >So..does anyone know of any reason why I could not use wood ash in her >litterbox? Do you know how to make lye? In the old days it was made by pouring water through wood ashes. It's also called caustic potash ... nasty stuff. SignatureT.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu) Remove "gearbox.maem." from address - that one is dead I can't comment on whether it's healthy for her, but take a look at http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bllowe.htm - the first commercially sold cat litter was wood ash. Isn't wood ash + liquid either highly acid or highly alkaline? As in lye. Jo > Sometimes, if her litter tray is not quite as pristine as she would like > (this is the tray she only pees in), KFC will use the brass tray that I [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Tweed > Isn't wood ash + liquid either highly acid or highly alkaline? As in lye. > > Jo Dunno. that's why I'm asking. Tweed > > Isn't wood ash + liquid either highly acid or highly alkaline? As in lye. > > > > Jo > > Dunno. that's why I'm asking. Yes, its highly alkaline. KFC is using the woodash because its most likely the only other place which has some seblence to cat litter (ie, diggable). However, woodash is highly alkaline in the presence of moisture. Poor KFC would have this stuff on his paws, would be ingesting it when he cleans his paws, and would also most likely be inhaling it whilst he digs in it (not to mention it being tracked through the house). With a pH of >12, this stuff will actually dissolve flesh (over time), and is very bad for one's skin. Woodash is a really *bad* idea for cat litter. Yowie >> > Isn't wood ash + liquid either highly acid or highly alkaline? As in > lye. [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Woodash is a really *bad* idea for cat litter. Phew. Recovering from the blast. I was only asking. Kitty is a girlcat, and she has two litterboxes without having to use woodash. Since she used it, I just wondered is all. Blimey., calm down please. You make it sound like there is no other place for my poor cat to use except woodash and this isn't so. She is at least 21 yo and sometimes she forgets where her proper boxes are. Tweed > >> > Isn't wood ash + liquid either highly acid or highly alkaline? As in > > lye. [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > isn't so. She is at least 21 yo and sometimes she forgets where her proper > boxes are. Sorry if "blast" was the the way it read, it wasn't written with that intention. Also sorry to refer to KFC as a boycat when she's a girlcat. Yowie >> > "Christina Websell" <spamfree@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote in > message [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] > > Also sorry to refer to KFC as a boycat when she's a girlcat. It's ok, I am a bit over-sensitive at the moment. Just bear with me and excuse any irritable responses for now. Sorry, Yowie. I'm not quite my normal self right now. I *did* want to know if woodash was dangerous for Kitty Farmcat to use as litter, so thanks. Tweed >>>> Isn't wood ash + liquid either highly acid or highly alkaline? As >>>> in lye. Jo [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Tweed I don't think Yowie was "yelling' at you - just explaining the chemical properties of wet+wood ash >Phew. Recovering from the blast. I was only asking. Kitty is a girlcat, >and she has two litterboxes without having to use woodash. Since she used >it, I just wondered is all. Blimey., calm down please. You make it sound >like there is no other place for my poor cat to use except woodash and this >isn't so. She is at least 21 yo and sometimes she forgets where her proper >boxes are. There are *always* alternative places: behind furniture, beside the litter box, in the middle of the living room carpet, your bed, etc. But even some mostly outdoor cats prefer a reasonable litter box. SignatureT.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu) Remove "gearbox.maem" to get real address - that one is dead >> Yes, its highly alkaline. >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >> >> Woodash is a really *bad* idea for cat litter. > Phew. Recovering from the blast. I was only asking. Kitty is a girlcat, > and she has two litterboxes without having to use woodash. Since she used > it, I just wondered is all. Blimey., calm down please. You make it sound > like there is no other place for my poor cat to use except woodash and this > isn't so. Read it again, Tweed - I really don't think she intended anything other than to give you the facts. Since Yowie is a professional chemist*, I would trust her answer, but I didn't hear any judgement or criticism in her response at all. I think you might be overreacting, due to some very justifiable stress! Now, referring to KFC as "he" - that was unforgivable! :) (Just kidding, Yowie.) I think this response validates your concern, Tweed. You had a hunch that it was worth investigating, and it's a good thing you did. * Yowie: I don't know what your official job title is, but since you speak authoritatively about chemistry, I assume that you are a chemist, or something related. Joyce > > "Yowie" <yowie9644.DIESPAMDIE@yahoo.com.au> wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > speak authoritatively about chemistry, I assume that you are a chemist, > or something related. Aye, I am an industrial chemist (in paint technology). Yowie (I got muddled between KFC and Boyfie) Yep, I remember when I referred to IBK Fergus as a boy, several people in this group took me to task! -Rhonda > Now, referring to KFC as "he" - that was unforgivable! :) (Just kidding, > Yowie.) <snip> > Now, referring to KFC as "he" - that was unforgivable! :) (Just > kidding, Yowie.) My mother often gets muddled up about whether Snoopy and Baggy are boys or girls, when I pointed it out to her once she said "I don't think about sex with animals", when I said I'm very glad to hear it she realised what she had just said. ;o) SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk > My mother often gets muddled up about whether Snoopy and Baggy are boys or > girls, when I pointed it out to her once she said "I don't think about sex > with animals", when I said I'm very glad to hear it she realised what she > had just said. ;o) LOL! SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o185/frankiennikki/ http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > <snip> >> Now, referring to KFC as "he" - that was unforgivable! :) (Just [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > with animals", when I said I'm very glad to hear it she realised what she > had just said. ;o) LOL! That sounds like something my mother would have said. SignatureJoey DoWop Dee Remember: It is To Laugh >> My mother often gets muddled up about whether Snoopy and Baggy are boys or >> girls, when I pointed it out to her once she said "I don't think about sex >> with animals", when I said I'm very glad to hear it she realised what she >> had just said. ;o) > LOL! That sounds like something my mother would have said. Ha - that sounds like something *I* might say. I'm forever putting my foot in my mouth by saying something that has another, far more embarrassing meaning, and not realizing it until it's too late. :) Joyce > Phew. Recovering from the blast. I was only asking. Kitty is a girlcat, > and she has two litterboxes without having to use woodash. Since she used [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Tweed Well, I learned something too. I thought it sounded like a great idea really --Kitty loved it, it sounded like ideal "recycling" to me! I never knew what to do with that stuff when we had a fireplace. Sherry > Phew. Recovering from the blast. I was only asking. Kitty is a girlcat, > and she has two litterboxes without having to use woodash. Since she used [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Tweed Well, I learned something too. I thought it sounded like a great idea really --Kitty loved it, it sounded like ideal "recycling" to me! I never knew what to do with that stuff when we had a fireplace. If you have an acidic soil, it is a great thing to put (sparingly- don't want to make the soil to alkaline either) onto your garden. It contains alot of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium and other trace elements your plants will enjoy. It is good to grit slippery paths (and kills the algae/slime that grows on damp paths that makes them slippery) If made into a paste (with water) wood ashes will also do as a glass & metal metal cleaner (although I wouldn't use it as *polish* IYSWIM), oven cleaner and fireplace cleaner believe it or not. And its good for cleaning those 'water stains' off wooden furniture. It will keep snails & slugs off the garden beds And of course, if you want to make soap naturally.... Yowie Wow, at least TWENTY ONE? That is wonderful! You are taking great cat of that girl. Rhonda > She is at least 21 yo and sometimes she forgets where her proper > boxes are. > > Tweed > Wow, at least TWENTY ONE? That is wonderful! You are taking great cat of > that girl. I can't take too much credit for it. She is a real toughie. Owned, then feral for years, I started to feed her in the garden in 1995. She made her living mousing around my chicken huts, unable to come in as I had whippets at the time. She was sensible enough to know that she would be an ex-cat if she had tried. After all the whippets had gone to the RB, she waited two months and then presented herself on the doorstep, saying "I understand you have a vacancy.." Well, what could I do? When she needed emergency TED treatment around 3 years ago, they conservatively guessed her age at 18. She is certainly very old, very, very old. However she is young enough to tell you that she isn't. No-one would dare to disagree. Besides, she has her wink-wink, Licky, that keeps her up and interested ;-) Tweed > She is certainly very old, very, very old. However she is young enough to > tell you that she isn't. No-one would dare to disagree. > Besides, she has her wink-wink, Licky, that keeps her up and interested ;-) He likes older women. :) It's a May-December thing. He's going on 4 this year! Joyce -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- From: "Christina Websell" <spamfree@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> >I am happy to buy litter for her, I don't begrudge her anything she needs, >but if she likes to use wood ash, and I have a regular supply of it, why not >use it? What do you all think? When in doubt, Read The %**#$% MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET (RTFMSDS) http://www.internationalpaper.com/PDF/PDFs_for_IPWood/msds/MSDS_Info_Wood_Ash.pdf > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > http://www.internationalpaper.com/PDF/PDFs_for_IPWood/msds/MSDS_Info_Wood_Ash.pdf Thank you for this useful link which I hadn't realised existed. I must ask you again when I need advice ;-) Tweed
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